B is for Breakfast

Find out why breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

It shouldn’t be news that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and yet many of us are still skipping breakfast. So we wanted to take this opportunity to talk about why breakfast is so important since September is National All-American Breakfast Month.

According to the USDA, the benefits of breakfast are clear, especially when it comes to our kids. Eating a balanced breakfast:

Helps improve standardized scores

Helps improve reading and math abilities

Improves behavior and memory

Increases the ability to pay attention and solve problems

Decreases the chances of being overweight

Basically, breakfast gives your body the nutritional boost you need to jumpstart your day. Here are a few other reasons to make breakfast a priority.

Eating Breakfast Helps Manage Your Weight

Research indicates that skipping breakfast increases your likelihood of becoming overweight or obese. Experts believe that when we don’t start our day off properly, we end up eating more calories over the course of the day by choosing high calorie lunches and lots of snacks. Additionally, when you skip meals you send the message to your body that you are starving. You body then goes into starvation mode which means it holds on to any extra fat and converts extra calories into fat because it thinks you are starving and wants to conserve resources to ensure your survival.

Eating Breakfast Makes You Smarter

As the benefits listed above show, there are real, lasting benefits in our ability to learn, solve problems, remember, and perform other cognitive tasks. Simply eating breakfast everyday can boost test scores and improve grades in kids. By giving our brain the fuel it needs to function right at the start of the day, we are better able to concentrate and use our memory.

Eating Breakfast Helps Manage Your Mood

Another benefit of breakfast that many people overlook is the affect it can have on our mood. When our body gets hungry, it causes shifts in our mood. Many people get grumpy when they are hungry and it isn’t unusual to find that you are quicker to anger when you need to eat. But giving your body the boost it needs right out of the gate can do more than just make you better to be around, it can also improve your attitude and make you more motivated to accomplish the tasks you need to tackle.

Eating Breakfast Elevates Your Energy Level

One other big benefit of giving yourself the breakfast boost is that it also elevates your energy level. This means you will have the energy to tackle those tasks and all that extra motivation won’t wind up going to waste.

Of course, not all breakfast choices are created equally. It is important to remember that a hasty meal packed with sugar won’t provide the same benefits as a breakfast high in protein and complex carbohydrates. Focusing on a breakfast that is high in both fiber and protein and low in sugar is the best bet.

To fill your plate with some delicious breakfast choices, try one of these breakfast recipes from FillYourPlate.org.